Quaternary murids (Rodentia: Muridae) from Buka Island, Papua New Guinea, with descriptions of two new species.

Abstract

The remains of six murid species have been recovered from late Pleistocene/Holocene sediments from Kilu rockshelter, Buka Island, northern Solomons. Three of these species (Solomys ponceleti, S. salebrosus and Melomys bougainville, which is here confirmed as being distinct from M. rufescens) are still extant and are endemic to the islands of Buka, Bougainville, and Choiseul (S. salebrosus only). A further two species (S. spriggsarum and M. spechti) are described here as new, and are apparently extinct. The final species, Rattus exulans, is represented only in level 3 of the site, which is disturbed, and may date from anywhere between 6680 ybp and the present. The extinction of S. spriggsarum and M. spechti probably occurred between about 6670 and 1860 ybp, and may have been caused by the introduction of dogs, pigs, other rats and cuscus to the Solomons.